Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – The first fact about Diamond Bar is that it is definitely considered one of the gems of the Inland Empire. With extremely high ratings in many categories, including #70 as the BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL SUBURBS IN CALIFORNIA, and Diamond Bar High School is ranked #42 BEST HIGH SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA the city also holds one highest income per household in the entire Inland Empire. The crime rate is extremely low for a Los Angeles suburb. These facts can be found at Money Magazines Best Places to Live and online at Census.gov.

A few facts about Diamond Bar: the city is a quiet suburb nestled between Walnut, Chino, and Chino Hills. Diamond Bar residents are affluent young families and commuters. With a population of 56,793 according to Census Bureau 2016 estimates, Diamond Bar is a moderately sized suburb- just 5,000 less than Eastvale’s population estimates.

From 2010 to 2016, Diamond Bar’s population grew 9.7%- not far behind Eastvale the newest and fastest growing city in the region. For comparison, Eastvale’s population grew 13.9% and Corona’s grew 9.4% in the same period. This could be attributed to the city’s desirable location, great schools, and quiet yet active lifestyle that is great for raising children.

Diamond Bar residents are young but not too young with 21.4% under 18 years old and 4.3% under 5 years old. Chino Hills, another relatively young city, has 27.1% under 18 years old and 5.8% under 5 years old.

Diamond Bar is also increasingly diverse with 33.2% white, 20.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.1% black, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 52.5% Asian, .2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.9% two or more races.

42.4% of Diamond Bar residents are also foreign born compared with 30% in Eastvale, 28.7% in Chino Hills, and just 14.3% in Norco. The most enticing statistic about Diamond Bar is the median value of owner-occupied housing units it is $562,100 – more than the $425,500 in Eastvale and the $507,500 in Chino Hills. The median income per household is $89,221 – more than the $72,872 in Chino $77,021 in Corona, and $88,051 in Norco.

What’s more is that Diamond Bar has one of the lowest poverty levels in the region with only 7% in poverty compared to 7% in Norco, 11.6% in Chino, and 11.7% in Corona.

Diamond Bar is a growing town with a younger, affluent, and diverse population. Some of the demographic statistics are very surprising, and Diamond Bar continues to strive towards being a great place to live and raise families.

So if you live in this city, be proud of it’s youth, dynamics, beauty, and structure. The family oriented community is still growing and should maintain a solid impact in the Inland Empire, Southern California, AND in the United States.

By Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – Opening date set for Wednesday, October 11, 2017 Sprouts Farmers Market, one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, will soon finish construction on a new location in Diamond Bar, California. The new store is bringing more than 100 full- and part-time career opportunities to the area. Employment opportunities include: • Department Managers, Assistant Department Managers and Clerks • Cashiers • Courtesy Clerks • Backup Receiver, Administrative Coordinator and Scan Coordinator. If you are interested in learning more about available career opportunities, visit sprouts.com/careers please call 1-866-925-2396 for non-managerial roles.

Sprouts’ “Healthy Living for Less” approach to grocery shopping means potential employees should share a passion for healthy eating and the fresh, natural and organic products offered throughout the store. As an employer Sprouts offers competitive pay, excellent benefits, team member discounts, a fun and rewarding culture and great career advancement opportunities. Sprouts is known for its knowledgeable team members and low prices, Sprouts is a healthy grocery store that appeals to the average shopper. Sprouts offers fresh produce, meat and seafood, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, dairy, bakery, deli, natural body care items and more. Sprouts carries exclusive items under its Sprouts Brand product line, which meet strict quality standards while delivering exceptional value, taste and quality.

Diamond Bar shoppers will find an abundant selection of fresh fruits and vegetables and barrels of wholesome grains, nuts and sweets in a bright, open store layout. Each store features an in-house butcher who prepares hand-crafted sausages daily and assists customers with special cuts of meat and seafood seasoning. Shoppers will also enjoy a variety of fresh and prepared deli items ideal for lunch or dinner, a wide selection of fresh-baked goods and craft beer and wine. The Vitamin and Body Care Department features more than 7,500 cutting-edge vitamin and body care products made with sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients.

The new 30,000-square-foot store will be located at 239 S. Diamond Bar Blvd. The grand opening will be on Wednesday, October 11 at 7 a.m.

By LASD

On Tuesday August 15, Deputies responded to the Target parking lot in the city of Diamond Bar after receiving a child locked in a vehicle call.

Upon arrival the Deputies on scene see the baby’s face turning red and sweating profusely through the vehicle’s window. Deputies take immediate action and break a window away from the baby in order to rescue the baby from the hot car. The baby was checked by paramedics and later transported to the hospital.

The child’s mother had placed the baby in the infant carrier inside the vehicle and closed the door. She immediately realized she had locked the car and had left the keys inside the infant carrier. She immediately called 911 for help.

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – The city of Diamond Bar contracts with FilmLA to provide streamlined permit processing for all commercial filming and still photography.

Guidelines include All commercial filming and/or still photography within city limits requires a film permit.

Permit applications must be submitted at least three working days prior to start date to allow for review by City and County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s and Fire Departments.

Non-commercial photography or videography (personal use) does not require a permit. However, use of equipment such as lights or generators may require a permit.

Permit Fees  – A City single permit fee is $583.27, in addition to any FilmL.A. permit processing fees. Student filming is eligible for a waiver on a case-by-case basis.

Hours – Filming and/or photography may take place between the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00 pm in residential areas. However, requests outside the general hours will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The City may require surveys of neighborhoods to determine related impacts and mitigation considerations.

Use of City Facilities – For questions regarding City facility reservations, please contact Community Services Department – Facility Reservations at 909.839.7065. Reservations are strongly encouraged prior to submitting a FilmL.A. permit application.

Additional Information – Contact the City Manager’s Office at 909.839.7013 or via email at asantos@diamondbarca.gov.

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – A fire broke out near the Carlton Peterson Park and was contained last week, just north of the 60 freeway.

LA County firefighters contained the 1 acre blaze within an hour and a half of the reporting of the fire, which was reported at 4 pm.

The patch of brush was just north of the LA County fire station 121.

The fire didn’t threaten the free way but onlookers slowed traffic down for a few hours during rush hour.

“No structures were damaged as firefighters established structure defenses” said Marvin Lim, LA County Fire Department Spokesman. “We are happy to report no injuries were reported as well.”

How the fire started wasn’t determined as of press time but Lim said an investigation is ongoing, routine for all fires.

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – Former Diamond Bar Mayor Jack Tanaka passed away today after a long battle with cancer, the LA County Sheriff’s Department announced.

Jack was honored last November where he received a standing ovation at Diamond Bar City Hall at the Nov. 17 council meeting as he announced his retirement from 10 years of service to the community.

Tanaka stated that the city council, staff and residents have made his 10 years of service memorable and a great learning experience. His last day in office was Dec. 1.

Tanaka, first elected in 2005, served twice as the city’s mayor and served on the City’s Planning Commission for more than three years. He said he wanted to spend more time with family, but will still remain active in the community who he considers family.
A retired U.S. Army Sergeant and former peace officer with the California Youth Authority and State Department of Corrections, Tanaka was first elected to the Diamond Bard city council in 2005.
A constant fixture in the community, Tanaka and his wife Wanda devoted much of their time to helping out in the community especially youth. From the Miss Diamond Bar Pageant and the local Humane Society to community birthday parties and city concerts, the Tanaka’s were always there to lend a helping hand.
The Tanakas believed community service makes each volunteer a better person, a caring person, a person living an enriched life.
The Tanakas moved to Diamond Bar in 1976 and have since remained actively involved in community matters. In 2012, the couple was honored with Lions Clubs International’s Lion of the Year Award, the organization’s highest honor and usually given to only one person in the world.
Diamond Bar resident Lorry Somers Hughes Meyer said it’s sad to see him go. “He was great asset to the city. He has surely accomplished his civic duty in spades!”

James Audley “When you are as involved as Mr. Tanaka is in his community you never retire,” resident James Audley said. “He and his wonderful wife Wanda embody the spirit of philanthropy and a service driven life. During my time working in Diamond Bar I cannot say I met anyone who was more kind and generous than the Tanakas. They are a model of what being a citizen is all about.”

Funeral Arraignments are pending.

#diamondbarmayor #tanaka #dbmayorpasses #tanakapassesaway

By Marissa Mitchell

Diamond Bar – Many citizens in the city of Diamond Bar are wondering just what is going on at Diamond Bar Boulevard (where the “old K-Mart” used to reside), and there is thankfully some new revealing information.

Diamond Bar’s Kmart store, which included 84,000 square feet of inside retail space plus a garden center of about 10,000 square feet, opened in 1975 and closed in 2014 amid the company’s ongoing financial struggles.

While the property is managed by private owners, construction is currently underway. According to Community Development Director Greg Gubman, there have been several approvals solidified thus far of new tenants in what will become the renovated building. Of those tenants, Sprouts Market and Ross are confirmed, and will be completed and operational by the projected date of Dec. 2017.

“It was a long, slow death,” said Greg Gubman, the city’s community development director. “Kmart and Sears have both been struggling and Kmart had more value in the land lease than in the general sales from that site. They sold their lease to the property owner.”

Gubman also said that there have been a few approved establishments for the empty lot space just adjacent to Diamond Bar Boulevard: Chipotle and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, the latter of which will have a drive through. These are also estimated to be completed by the end of the year, though that completion time may run into early next year.

Sprouts Farmers Market is in the process of hiring more than 100 employees for a 30,000-square-foot Diamond Bar location that will occupy part of a former Kmart store.

The market, at 239 S. Diamond Bar Blvd., is scheduled to open Oct. 11 and openings are available for a variety of full- and part-time positions, including department managers, produce, dairy and bakery clerks, meat cutters and administrative and scan coordinators, among other roles.

More information can be found at sprouts.com/careers or by calling 866-925-2396.

There will be additional tenants occupying the renovated former K-Mart building, and the private owners of the property are still securing those tenants.

When asked how this will benefit the city, Director Gubman said, “These various retail uses will help diversify the revenues for the city of Diamond Bar.” This is not only needed in the community, it is greatly desired, as the current state does not provide benefit or aesthetic appeal.

One of the goals delineated by the City Council at the beginning of the year to promote long-term economic development was the following: “In cooperation with the property owners, redevelop the K-Mart site to include retail and restaurant options.”

Gubman said a Ross Dress for Less will move into another portion of the building and a third section will be subdivided between three tenants that have yet to be named. Another 10,000-square-foot addition to the building is under construction where the garden center used to be.

“They are also proposing two drive-thru buildings out front,” he said. “One would have a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and a Chipotle Mexican Grill and another building would have a Habit hamburger restaurant.”

The new lineup of stores is tentatively going to be called Diamond Bar Ranch. It sits adjacent to the Diamond Bar Plaza shopping center.

Gubman said the city is glad to see Sprouts and other stores preparing to move in.

“We’re pleased that we’re getting national retailers,” he said. “The community seems pretty excited about a Sprouts coming in.”

The building’s conversion also has generated some welcome construction jobs. Tony Gonzales of Savant Construction Inc. in Chino said his company has 15 to 20 workers doing interior work on the Sprouts store.

“We’ve been here for about three months,” he said. “We tore out the slab and did new concrete, electrical and plumbing work, lighting and all of the finishes.”

The city is now fulfilling that objective, much to the relief of many Diamond Bar residents.

By Michael Armijo

Diamond Bar – An auto burglary was reported last week at Steep Canyon Trail near the hiking trail, residents reported.

“Just a heads up, my daughter went hiking (Monday) morning and her car was broken into,” said Gabriel Amaya on social media, who is a long time resident of Diamond Bar. “We’ve been here numerous times without any problem.”

“Please be on the lookout for this SUV,” Amaya added. “It also has a broken side passenger window so it shouldn’t be hard to spot.” The description of the vehicle appears to be an older model Chevy Suburban, gray in color. You can see the video at https://www.facebook.com/TheWeeklyNews/  “We were able to get this (video) from a close neighbor who had cameras in her property. If you see this vehicle please take picture of license plate and or call police.“

The recent increase in burglary crimes can be attributed to the summer school break and the trying economy, but also the weather. According to http://www.bjs.gov, In all of the years except 1995, rates of household property victimization appeared highest in summer and lowest in either winter or spring. “Statistical analysis of the seasonal rates indicates that they were higher in the summer than in the other seasons of the year,” the report said.

Rates of total household property victimization include burglary, motor vehicle theft, and household larceny. Compared to summer rates, household property victimization rates were an average of about 7% lower in winter, 8% lower in spring, and 3% lower in fall. Therefore, the difference between rates in the summer and other seasons was relatively small, but noticeable.

If anyone has any information after viewing the video at https://www.facebook.com/TheWeeklyNews/, please contact the Walnut Diamond Bar Sheriff Station at 909.595.2264.

Photo courtesy: LASD

By Michael Armijo

Diamond Bar – Board of Supervisor (BOS) Janice Hahn’s announcement March 18 for a reward of $20,000 for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person(s) responsible for a Diamond Bar couple’s murder was renewed this week as the board approved the motion. In addition, the City of Diamond Bar approved an additional $10,000 reward, totaling $30,000 in reward money. The couple was stabbed to death in their home in Diamond Bar last October.

On October 20, 2016, a family friend visited the home of a senior couple, in the 3300 block of Bent Twig Lane, Diamond Bar, to check on them. The couples’ family, who were unable to reach them, asked the friend to check on the couple.
The husband and wife team, who operated a studio out of their home and taught art lessons were discovered deceased in their home.

Cheng Long Wang, 60, and Mei Chu Chung, 57, were pronounced dead at the scene from multiple stab wounds.
The $20,000 reward was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the city of Diamond Bar approved a $10,000 reward thereafter. The BOS first approval was to expire May 14, but is now extended for 3 more months.

According to a press release issued by the LA County Sheriff’s Department, both Cheng Long Wang, known as David, and Mei Chu Chung, known as Marian, emigrated from Taiwan in the year 2000.

“They were creative and well-respected within their community, and in an instant, the home which this gentle couple shared with others as a place to learn and be creative was turned into a crime scene where they were brutally attacked, stabbed to death and likely robbed,” the statement read.
At a press conference held at the Hall of Justice, the Homicide Bureau unit commander, Captain Steve Katz, introduced one of the couple’s children, Dr. Gary Wang.  Dr. Wang explained how difficult the loss of his parents has been –not just for him and his sister, but for his 4-year-old daughter.  He revealed how his little girl missed video chats with grandma and cried at night for her grandparents; and relayed how he had to put their death in terms she could understand by explaining that grandma and grandpa “went to heaven.”
Dr. Wang made an emotional plea to the public, asking them to provide any information which may help solve the murder of his parents, for their justice, the release said.
“This couple were married for 30 years and were the classic example of an American success story,” Sheriff McDonald said.  He recognized the retired couple for having raised a successful family, as evidenced by their children who both became doctors, and for having dedicated time to their community by offering art lessons in their home.
Supervisor Janice Hahn, 4^th District, thanked Sheriff McDonnell, Captain Katz and the Homicide Bureau detectives for their hard work on this investigation.  In an effort to encourage witnesses to step forward, she announced a monetary reward approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.  The reward of $20,000 was offered in exchange for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the couple’s murder.
Captain Katz presented a second monetary reward which was approved by the city of Diamond Bar for $10,000, offered in addition to the Board of Supervisors’ reward offer.
If you have any information about this case, please call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Detectives Margarita Barron or Dameron Peyton at (323) 890-5500.

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar – A Diamond Bar woman was sent to the hospital after she was pinned by a car in at her home in Diamond Bar.

While teaching her teenage son to drive, the woman got of the car while inside the garage and walked in front of the car. The teenager, her son, accidentally lunged forward in the car, pinning her between the garage wall and the automobile.

She was hospitalized after firefighters removed her from the accident in a residential neighborhood late Thursday, officials said. The accident took place around 9 p.m. in the 1100 block of Cleghorn Drive , LA County Sheriff’s department spokesman Lt. David Buckner said.

The mother  suffered injuries that possibly included broken ribs, but were not believed to be life-threatening, Buckner said.